together music loving bloggers from
all over the world and sharing info
about artists and music of all genres.

No one is obligated to accept the MWA,

but those who do are asked to
follow these five steps:

1.) Link back to the person who nominated you.2.) Answer the questions with words AND music.3.) Pass the award on to 5 bloggers who inspire you with their posts about music. Be sure to notify them about the award.4.) Tag your post with #MWA for Music & Words Award so we can all find you down the line.5.) Quote these 5 steps and display the award icon in your post and also on your sidebar if you wish.

THE Q & A:

Q1: What does music mean to you?

To me music is magic. Music is a miracle.

I learned to beat on drums but was never

very good at making music. Fortunately

I developed the capacity to appreciate

music that others make. Songs form the

soundtrack of my life. Each one triggers

memories of good times and bad. Some

music soothes and relaxes me. Some
music stimulates, inspires and
motivates me. Some music

tugs at my heartstrings.
My tastes in music are
eclectic to say the least.

Take for example this performance by
18 year old Deanna Durbin in the final
scene of her 1940 film It's a Date which
co-starred Kay Francis and Walter Pidgeon.

more moving. Watch the whole
thing and let it get inside your
head, your heart and your soul.

"Ave Maria" - Deanna Durbin

(scene from 1940 film It's a Date)

Close to the opposite end of the spectrum is one

of my favorite hard rock/blues rock recordings,

"Never in My Life," performed by Mountain,

a band from Long Island, NY, led by singer

and guitarist Leslie West and bassist/vocalist

Felix Pappalardi. These guys don't pussyfoot

around. They get right to the point!

When I wake up in the morning

You make me feel so good

Bringing me a shot of whisky

and a little bit of lovin' too

"Never In My Life" - Mountain

(from March 1970 album Climbing!)

Q2: What is your first music-related memory?

My very first music-related memory was

watching The Dinah Shore Show. The former
radio singing star's TV series made its debut
as I was turning two years of age and I
watched it every week with my parents.
Dinah's live show was sponsored by
Chevrolet and a highlight of every
broadcast (after 1952) was Dinah
singing the famous Chevy ad jingle
"See the U.S.A. in Your Chevrolet."

I credit my cousin with turning me on
to the sound of Johnny Rivers performing
live at the Whisky a Go Go niteclub on
the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood.

Johnny's live albumHere We a Go Go Again!

was the first LP I ever bought.

"Midnight Special" - Johnny Rivers

(Feb./Mar. 1965, highest chart position #20,

live on Mar. 9, 1965 episode of Hullabaloo)

Q4: What was the latest music you purchased?

(No online streaming or free downloads,

I’m talking about cash here!)

The latest music I purchased was the CD single

"Headlights," an international hit by German DJ

and producer Robin Schulz featuring the vocals

of California singer/songwriter Ilsey Juber.

Listen from the beginning to at least the

1:15 mark of the video and feel a wave

of ecstasy sweep over you!

"Headlights" - Robin Schulz feat. Ilsey

(Apr. 2015, h.c.p. #17 US Dance/Electronic,

#2 Australia and Austria, from Sept. 2015 album Sugar)

Q5: Which song did you listen to last?

(No cheating, come out with the dirty pleasures!)

(That Q5 question is verbatim from Miss Andi's

rule book.) Dirty pleasures? I've got them up the

ying yang, but the good news is I am no longer

listening to heavy metal to the exclusion of
nearly everything else. The bad news is I
am now into K-pop, house and gangsta rap.

The last song I listened to before finishing

this post is performed by another exciting

act that I recently discovered - Marian Hill.

Marian Hill is not the name of a solo singer.

It's the name of a Philadelphia duo made up

of vocalist Samantha Gongol and electronic

production artist Jeremy Lloyd. The name

Marian Hill comes from characters in the
musical The Music Man: Harold Hill and
Marian Paroo. Rolling Stone describes
Marian Hill's style as "fused R&B, elec-
tronica and saxophone-heavy jazz
influences." Speaking of sax-heavy,
listen as Samantha and Jeremy are
accompanied by the extraordinary
playing of sax man Steve Davit
as the trio performs "Got It," a
song from Marian Hill's 2015
EP Sway and the soundtrack
of the musical fantasy drama
film Jem and the Holograms.
Marian Hill: minimal sound -
maximum impact!

"Got It" - Marian Hill

(from Feb. 2015 EP Sway &

soundtrack of Oct. 2015 movie

Jem and the Holograms)

NOMINATIONS

"If you go looking for a friend,

you're going to find they're very scarce.

If you go out to be a friend,

you'll find them everywhere."

- Zig Ziglar

I adopted Zig Ziglar's philosophy eight years ago

when I started blogging. The bloggers I have come

to admire most make it clear that they share Zig's

philosophy. I am passing this award along to five

such people. These five love music and present
it on their blogs. They are also loyal, faithful

friends who show up for me. Any or all of
them might already have been chosen
for this award by other bloggers.
Nevertheless, I like to give
credit where it is due and
I wish to acknowledge
them as well.

Music is Sherry's middle name.
(Mine is Danger.) A well known and
respected author of children's books,
Sherry is also a professional musician
who plays and teaches violin, viola
and piano. (Meanwhile, I'm still
learning how to wave bye-bye.)
Sherry has become one of my
most faithful friends, one who
reminds me there is a world
of great music beyond the
narrow scope of pop and
rock, and that some of
it is being made by
Sherry herself!

Jessica has proven herself to be a great friend.
I admire her for thinking outside the box and
having an extremely wide range of interests
that go far beyond music to include writing,
poetry, travel, fine dining, cooking and an
endless series of educational experiences.
Jessica isn't afraid to post rap and rock,
and that makes her a kindred spirit.

Michele Truhlik, Debbie the Doglady,Cathy Kennedy and Jeffrey Scott
would all be included on the above list
had they not already tagged me for
this award. All four are what I call
"full service bloggers" and "full
service friends." They connect
with me by blog and by email
and take a genuine interest
in who I am and what I am
doing. Their taste in music
is very similar to mine which
is always a plus. I couldn't ask
for better friends in the blogging
community than Michele, Debbie,
Cathy and Jeffrey. Thank you again,
all four of you, for bestowing
this special honor on me!

64 comments:

I remember us watching that Deanna Durbin movie a few years ago. She was a precocious, world class operatic singer-- and her performance of "Ave Maria" is one of the greatest moments ever captured on film. I was not familiar with Mountain-- but they make my kind of rock. The Marian Hill electronic jazz combo is a very exciting discovery! I think they should permanently add the sax player to the act because he is sensational-- what a sound the three of them create!

Thank you very much! Needless to say, I was overjoyed when we watched that series of Deanna Durbin movies a few years ago and you gave Deanna's vocal performances a big thumbs up. I might add that she was a wonderful actress, too, and I'm sure you agree on that as well.

I have always loved that track by Mountain. Bass player and singer Felix Pappalardi was also a record producer and famously worked with Cream on their second album Disraeli Gears. Sadly, Felix died at age 43, shot to death by his wife.

I am thrilled that you recognize the greatness of that Philly duo turned trio, Marian Hill. I love their sparse sound. It reminds me of Timmy Thomas and his enthralling minimal-art hit "Why Can't We Live Together."

Thank you again for joining me today, dear Kathryn. Let's have a great weekend!

Wow, friend, what a post. I throughout enjoy how you included the music/videos along with your post, instead of just making us look them up or open them in a new window. Thank you so much for the kind words and award notification/nomination! I am more than happy to receive this award and will have fun putting together the post.Thanks again!-A&D

Thank you for coming by to pick up your award, sweet friend. No one deserves it more than you. In the last two years you have opened up my ears to a whole new category of music appreciation - the banjo and bluegrass bands. For that I am grateful. For your faithful friendship I am also grateful!

I'm glad you enjoyed the post, dear friend Abigail, and I look forward to yours. Please give Daisy a treat for me and enjoy your weekend!

It's always a pleasure to welcome you back here, dear friend, and I thank you for coming by to check out my answers and music picks.

I am excited to know that you remember the oldest of these offerings and that you enjoyed Robin Schulz feat. Ilsey. Ilsey Juber is a gifted singer and songwriter. Here's another Ilsey recording I think you will enjoy, a song she co-wrote and recorded with Kaskade:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILK0RcnKp3M

Here's an interesting piece of trivia. According to Wiki, Ilsey's grandpa is Sherwood Schwartz, the TV producer behind Gilligan’s Island and The Brady Bunch.

Great selection of songs and memories. I recently acquired a DVD called 1001 Classic TV Commercials. I'm amazed how many TV shows back in the day suddenly branched out into a full blown commercial, as the Dinah Shore video illustrated.

The Marion Hill song was really good and got even better with the inclusion of the saxophone.

Thank you for coming by, good buddy, and thank you again for sharing this award with me. I'm happy to know you enjoyed the post. That DVD of vintage TV commercials most likely includes many that I remember from boyhood. You're right. Radio and movie stars who landed their own TV series later in their careers were often required to do live commercials for the show's sponsors. Those commercials could run several minutes long, taking up a considerable block of air time. I'm glad you enjoyed the clip from The Dinah Shore Show. Another early childhood memory of mine is comedian Milton Berle's Texaco Star Theatre, a carry-over from radio. As Wiki explains: "When the television version launched on June 8, 1948, Texaco also made sure its employees were featured prominently throughout the hour, usually appearing as smiling "guardian angels" performing good deeds of one or another kind, and a quartet of Texaco singers opened each week's show with the following theme song:

"Oh, we're the men of TexacoWe work from Maine to MexicoThere's nothing like this Texaco of ours!

Our show is very powerfulWe'll wow you with an hour fullOf howls from a shower full of stars.

We're the merry Texaco menTonight we may be showmenTomorrow we'll be servicing your cars! "

I'm jazzed to know you enjoyed the Philly duo Marian Hill and the trio that included saxophonist Steve Davit.

Thanks again for your visit, your comment, and for giving me the MWA, good buddy Jeffrey!

Okay, that Marian Hill is some of the oddest stuff I've listened to yet. I had no idea what K-pop was, so I looked it up and listened to a random selection- not bad, although the particular selection- performed by a group of schoolgirls in uniform- gave me a feeling like Aqualung, ifyaknowwhatImean.

Of course, the biggest star of the post is the '53 Chevy! A hair before my time, but I definitely remember the jingle from somewhere. I learned much about the world before school from commercials, so that's not a huge surprise.

Thank you for the great write-up! Everything's good when Johnny Rivers gets a mention!

Thanks for dropping in to pick up your award trophy. Marian Hill has a sparse, minimal sound, but I think they're terrific, certainly not the same old formula you hear in much of today's pop music. I'm delighted to know you remember "See the U.S.A. in Your Chevrolet," probably the first song I ever memorized and sang as a tiny tot. Glad you dig Johnny Rivers, too.

Thanks again for your visit and comment, good buddy Chris, and have a safe and scrappy weekend!

Interesting selections - I expected nothing less. Not familiar with that Mountain song. And I do remember the Dinah Shore Show.Ironic that I'm a musician and no one has picked me yet. Perhaps they know my selections would scare them...

Thanks for coming, good buddy! I'm surprised you aren't familiar with the Mountain band and their signature song "Never In My Life." I've been fond of it since I first heard it in college. The Dinah Shore Show was one of my mother's favorite TV shows. As you might recall and as Wiki reminds us: << She always ended her televised programs by throwing an enthusiastic kiss directly to the cameras (and viewers) and exclaiming "MWAH!" to the audience. >>

I'm surprised you haven't been nominated for the MWA, Alex. Popular as you are, I think everybody assumed you would be and that's how you managed to slip through the cracks until now. My rationale in sharing this award was to pick people who aren't as well known in the blogging community and to give them some well deserved encouragement and recognition. I'm sure you can understand that.

Another wonderful post, my friend! Course, you had me at Johnny Rivers;-) I vaguely remember Dinah Shore but I really enjoyed that Chevy/America song! It made me want to jump in my jeep and go see something. Ave Maria, now there's an evocative classic. It's just one of those songs that whether you're reduced to tears or completely enchanted, you're undeniably awed. Well, at least I am :-)I couldn't open Mountain and truly did not know what to think about Marian Hill (very different than anything I normally prefer) but I can't ever resist a good saxophone;-)So glad for you receiving the award, can't think of anything more fitting for someone who never fails to amuse, amaze and entertain! Is forever too long to ask you to keep it up, dear Shady?

Thank you very much for dropping by and for this masterpiece of a comment!

I don't think there's a person alive who doesn't like the soulful singing of Johnny Rivers. I'm very thankful to my cousin Bill for turning me on to Johnny's three Whisky A Go Go albums. I'm sorry you couldn't get the Mountain video to play. Is Arizona considered a different country? :) Maybe you can find another video of it on YouTube. It's rock solid rock from 1970 - "Shady Dell - The College Years." I usually don't like jazz all that music but Marian Hill's electronic approach captured my imagination. I listen to "Got It" again and again and like it more every time.

Thank you again for your visit and for your loyal friendship and support, dear friend Diedre. My next post one week from now is the My Life According To... Music Challenge. (I moved it up from May.) I hope you enjoy what I put together for you.

Class act, that Shady! You certainly deserve the award X4, (X100)!!!I really liked your last (listened to) song, "I got it"! It had a different sound.Keep up the quality blogging but most of all, that Shady humor!

Hello, Shady! Your award is well-deserved, my friend! Unfortunately I wasn't able to listen to any of your selections tonight - I just got the baby to sleep after 30 minutes of crying so I'm taking no chances!

P.S. If you don't mind, how 'bout changing the title of my blog that you have linked to over on the right-hand side of the page? No big deal, but I want to make sure it's actually redirecting anyone who clicks on it!

Wow, Shady! What a fascinating post this is. K-pop, house and gangsta rap? You are full of surprises, my friend. ☺ Thanks for the mention and the kind words. Making good friends like you is the best part of blogging!

Deanna Durbin sure had a powerful voice for a 16 year old. I vaguely remember Dinah Shore and the Chevy song. Johnny Rivers' version of "Midnight Special" was new to me. Good stuff! I always associated it with CCR. Marian Hill was unique but I think that's an acquired taste.

It's no surprise you were nominated for this award several times, Shady. Well-deserved! Have a good weekend.

Thank you for dropping by this morning, dear friend, and thank you once again for picking me for this award. I agree with you. The opportunity to form genuine, long lasting friendships is the best part of blogging.

Did you ever see the number that Deanna Durbin and Judy Garland performed together in the 1936 short film Every Sunday? The up-and-coming singing/acting stars were age 13 or 14 at the time:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boz3a9NlPHY

You might find this hard to believe, but I never heard CCR's traditional recording of "Midnight Special" until this morning. I did not own Willy And The Poor Boys or any other CCR album. From the time I started collecting records until the early 90s when CDs became popular, I was primarily a singles collector. I accumulated some 350 albums but missed many great albums and album tracks along the way.

Thank you again for your visit, your kind comment, your friendship and for nominating me for the MWA. Enjoy your weekend, dear Debbie!

Wow Shady, great post! Thanks so much for accepting the nomination and playing along. I really enjoyed reading your answers. Great song choices. I'm digging right now the sound of Marian Hill. Love the sax!And I got a real kick out of Dinah Shore singing the Chevrolet promo. I don't remember the show that far back but I do remember seeing her show when I was a kid.Robin Shultz has a fabulous sound. Thanks for the introduction!Johnny Rivers was a great performance. Gotta love those Go Go Girls!! They made me giggle. :)I never heard that Mountain song but it's so Mountain, isn't it?!The Ave Maria was beautiful. I can see how it can bring one to tears. So powerful.

What a nice job you did in your nominations! I definitely want to go visit their blogs now. And thank you for the kind words about us who nominated you. I so enjoy our friendship!

Thank you very much for coming over and listening to my long-winded MWA acceptance speech. :) Thank you once again for your kindness in sharing the award with me.

I'm delighted to know you dig the saxy sound of Marian Hill. I love this duo-turned-trio, but several other readers were ambivalent about them. Robin and Isley represent the kind of music that I am enjoying most at the present time, the type of stuff that inspired my 12-part, year long series and my previous post on Francesco Yates. Don't you just love Johnny Rivers' good looks and swagger? I never sat down and thought about it, but it seems likely that Johnny Rivers would top my list of favorite male artists of the 60s. Glad you liked Deanna and Mountain, too.

You seemed to find a lot to like in this post and that makes me very happy, Michele. Thank you again for nominating me. I hope you and your folks are having a great weekend!

We are having a good weekend. We're sipping margaritas right now: Celebrating our day today: I took my mom grocery shopping and it was her first time out, besides one doctor appointment, since her Feb 11th surgery! She did good walking and her stamina was fairly good. She's whipped now but wanted a margarita so that's a good sign!I'm going to go get Scholtsky's sandwiches for dinner (do you have Schlotsky's there where you are??) and we're just going to kick back and watch a scary movie... It's really cool out with the wind today so we're spending the afternoon inside...Hope you and Mrs Shady are doing something fun today!

I am so happy to learn that your mom is progressing and getting out and about. That's wonderful news! I never heard of Schlotsky's and needed to check their Florida locations. The closest to us would be the one in Gainesville, but that's a few hours away. I'm sure it won't be long before they have locations around the Tampa Bay area. I love watching scary movies. Let me know which one you watched today.

They like you! They really like you! Congrats on your wonderful award...you deserve it! I've learned a lot from your blog and you have given my ears a chance to appreciate different types of music I would pass by. I smiled at the Chevy ad because that vehicle was born the same year as me! I do remember that jingle because it was a classic for many years. Ave Maria did bring tears to my eyes. It wasn't only from this beautiful rendition. My sister-in-law wanted it sung at her funeral and it was beautiful there too. Thanks for a fun post and I hope you're having a great weekend down south! Congrats again dear friend!

Thank you for making time for a visit on your weekend, dear friend! How's Chubbsie doing today? :)

Yessum, as I gave my mock acceptance speech, I felt like Sally Field. :) Thank you for your kind comments.

It's good to know you remember the Chevrolet jingle made even more famous on the Chevy-sponsored Dinah Shore Show. I admired Deanna Durbin tremendously, both as a singer and a fine actress. Hers is one of the oddest stories in show business. Deanna retired from show biz at the peak of her popularity and at a very early age and lived the rest of her life in seclusion in Europe. Thank you for sharing your personal story about the song "Ave Maria." I can imagine its impact sung at a funeral.

I'm very happy to know you had fun experiencing my post, dear friend YaYa. Storms are rolling through my part of Florida this weekend, but locals welcome the moisture and relief from the heat.

Sorry for my delay here. I have had issues with my mom this past week. Due to her strong nature, she is refusing baths and refusing to get anyone to look at her toenails which are now, to put it mildly, disgusting. I have had to deal with the feelings of being a bad daughter. Enough about that, I love that you chose Deanna Durbin whose voice is one from the Angels. You have such a eclectic range of music that it just shows how open you are to all styles. This was fun reading

Thank you very much for coming down this evening. I completely understand the type of family matters you described. I am very sorry to learn that you have been placed in an awkward position. I'm sure you are a wonderful daughter and your mom would be the first to candidly say so.

Yessum, I was hoping you'd read this post and view that clip from It's a Date starring three of the top names in films - Deanna Durbin, Kay Francis and Walter Pidgeon. I agree that Deanna's voice was angelic. I'm sure she is singing with a heavenly choir now.

Thank you again for being here to experience this special award post, dear friend BB. I wish you a safe and happy spring week ahead!

You really do deserve this music award, Shady. I've learned so much about music from you.

I may have told you before that as a young girl I loved Deanna Durbin. I thought she was so cute and then could sing beautifully. I enjoyed hearing her sing, "Ave Maria."

I used to watch Dinah Shore with my parents too. Her show was great. It was fun growing up when variety shows were on TV. We got to see the great singers of the day every week.

I always love Johnny Rivers. I loved the songs, 'Headlights' and 'Got it'. So original and fun. Not too crazy about Mountain, but it was okay. Thanks for all the fun and I loved hearing about your first and last album. The latest CD I bought was Enya - her greatest hits or something. I just love it.

Thank you for staying up late to join me for more music and memories, dear friend!

You and I are only four months apart in age and it stands to reason that we share memories of Deanna Durbin and Dinah Shore. My mother was also a big fan of Judy Garland. Did you ever see this clip of Judy and Deanna singing side by side (in contrasting styles) in their 1936 short film Every Sunday?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boz3a9NlPHY

Yessum, music variety shows were the order of the day when we were growing up. My parents and I also watched the TV shows of Ed Sullivan, Sid Caesar, Perry Como, Garry Moore, George Gobel, Red Skelton, Andy Williams, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Bobby Darin, Lawrence Welk, John Davidson, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash and others.

I'm excited to learn that you enjoyed most of the artists and songs in this post, including "Headlights" and "Got It." At least one reviewer of the "Headlights" video concluded that the people in it are ghosts come back to haunt an abandoned public swimming pool where they spent happy times when they were living.

I'm always happy to see you, dear friend Belle, and especially happy when I know you had fun visiting SDMM for a few minutes. Enjoy the week ahead.

Thank you very much for coming over to listen to my filibuster (MWA acceptance speech :)

Please understand, good buddy, that the only reason why your name did not top my nominees list was because I noticed that you had already been tapped by another blogger or bloggers, and because I wanted to share the award with a few friends who could use more followers and recognition.

Actually I don't recall if I bought the album through the club. In fact, thinking about that album, I don't think I ever bought my own copy until I got the CD's. Back in the 70's I used to listen to copies that friends had. I just know I listened to those albums a lot.

James Gang I do remember getting the record from the Columbia Record Club. To this day I remember answering the door and the postman delivered it into my hands, which was somewhat unusual for him to do. I guess he came to the door because the package didn't fit in the mailbox.

And now you've got me really thinking that maybe that Mountain album did come from the record club. Now I recall looking at the cover often and listening to the album in my parents' basement. In about 1974 I think it was I went to see Mountain on a triple concert bill that if I remember correctly included sets by Carlos Santana and another artist that I can't remember right now.

Mountain was a great band that I still listen to occasionally. One of my favorite songs by them was "Nantucket Sleighride"--loved the little sailor's reel incorporated into the song.

I didn't own the Nantucket Sleighride album and never heard the title track until just now on Y/T. It's a pretty song. Thanks, Lee! The Mountain men had a tough climb ahead of them. Felix was gunned down by his wife and died at age 43. Leslie suffered from diabetes and needed to have his lower leg surgically removed.

Tom, you did a fabulous job pulling this award off, like I knew that you would. Your name should be Mr. Music. :D Ava Marie is a powerful song and I don't there's a version of this that I do not like. You got me thinking about music memories when you threw out Dinah Shore (BTW, she use to live in Knoxville, did you know that?). Of course, I do remember watching that program in the late 60s or early 70s as my mom loved it. I also remember tuning in for the Tony Orlando & Dawn TV show, too. There were a lot of musical type programs in my childhood years through early adulthood. I really enjoyed reading your answers and listening to your music selections. Thanks for playing along and for the kind words sent this way, my friend. You rock!

Thank you very much for coming over today and for the sweet words of kindness and support you always generously offer. I am delighted to know that these old old old oldies by Deanna Durbin and Dinah Shore resonated with you. No, I didn't realize that Dinah lived in Knoxville. I always enjoyed her Tennessee accent. Thanks for reminding me about the Tony Orlando & Dawn Show. If you read my reply to Belle (above) I listed some other music variety TV series of the era. I might also add to that list the Donny & Marie show.

Thank you again, my special friend, for your kind visit and excellent comment. Have a great week, Cathy!

First, thank you so much for nominating me for this award! Yes, music is my middle name. I'm going to have fun answering these questions. (You are the perfect recipient for this award, so I can see why you were selected multiple times. Very nice job on your answers!)

I loved the Ave Maria! I have never seen that movie, so I'm glad you shared it with us. Ave Maria is one of my favorite pieces to play on both the violin and viola. In fact, I may be playing it in church, soon.

Thank you for sharing all of your musical memories. Have a fantastic week, dear friend!

Thank you very much for coming over to pick up your MWA trophy, dear friend! No one is more deserving of it than you. :)

I'm very happy to know that you enjoyed my post and that I was able to introduce you to Deanna Durbin's incredible performance of "Ave Maria" in the 1940 film It's a Date. I would love to hear you play it on the violin or viola. I'm sure it would bring tears to my eyes as did Deanna's vocals.

Busy as I know you are these days, I thank you once again for making time to visit, read, listen and learn. It's always a great pleasure to have you over, Sherry. Enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend!

Again back in the day:) Though I do prefer soft rock. My all time favorite rocker was Seger. I think he probably crossed back and forth between hard and soft. And on the other end of the spectrumSee The USA was popular for many, many years wasn't it?

Thanks for the return visit. I know very little about you. For that reason I appreciate longer comments like this one that give me a chance to learn more about your tastes and your coming-of-age years. Yessum, the Chevy ad jingle was popular for many years, starting in 1949, the year I was born. It was first sung by the husband and wife duo of Peter Lind Hayes and Mary Healy, then by Dinah, and by Pat Boone on his Chevy sponsored TV series from 1957 to 1960.

Shady Shady MCShadestar, Thank you Thank you for the nomination. It genuinely made me so happy. I am So blessed beyond measure by our blogging friendship. That Ava Maria version was amazing. It was a little hard to get thru because it was sung at my Dad's funeral. There is a young lady that is dear friends of the family. She is the most incredible singer and sings at my parents church. Ironically, 13 years ago she sang Ava Maria at my stepsister's wedding. Then full circle, she sang it again at Daddy's funeral. Such a beautiful song. I remember watching Dinah Shore on TV when I was a kid. Didn't she also date Burt Reynolds? My 15 year old niece introduced me to K-Pop last year. That was the first time I had heard about it. I liked the songs I got it and Headlights. First time to hear either one of those so thank you for the introductions. Now I need to start thinking about my post for this nomination. HmmmmmHave I said Thank you again for this? xoxo

Thank you very much for dropping in, dear friend! I was traveling and this is the first time I checked and found your comment on this post. I'm very happy to know you didn't miss the chance to pick up your trophy. Your award is richly deserved. It makes me happy to know that I made you happy with this simple gesture.

Gosh, it's a small world afterall. Imagine the song I picked for this post, "Ave Maria," being a big part of your life, sung at a happy occasion and recently at a solemn one.

Yessum, I had forgotten all about it, but Dinah Shore had a well publicized romance with Burt Reynolds that lasted several years.

I'm happy to know you got an introduction to K-Pop recently and that you enjoyed Ilsey Juber's "Headlights" and Marian Hill's "Got It," two of my new favorite songs for 2016.

I am very pleased to know that you will consider publishing an award acceptance post. I think it will do you good to focus your attention on creating that post and I can't wait to read it.

Thank you again for coming, dear Holli. I feel equally blessed to have you as a friend!

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"You had to be there!"

“Words and photographs could never do those dancers justice because you had to be there - in a club with great music, like minded people and loads of atmosphere.” David Meikle of Glasgow, Scotland wrote those words in an article remembering the Twisted Wheel, the legendary northern soul club in Manchester, England. Yet, Mr. Meikle could just as easily have been describing the scene at my favorite "in" spot of the 1960s, the Shady Dell in York (Pennsylvania, not England).

THE SHADY DELL

YORK, PENNSYLVANIA

The Shady Dell: Part of York County's Colorful History

What began as a home based restaurant and bakery in 1945 evolved over the next two decades into the hottest teen nightspot in York county complete with indoor and outdoor dance floors. It went beyond that. Shady Dell owner John Ettline and his wife Helen put out the welcome mat offering hospitality, comfort, support, and encouragement to generations of young people. During its impressive 45-year life span the Dell became a home away from home for countless area youth from a variety of backgrounds.

At the height of its popularity in the early and mid 60s the Dell, located on the southern outskirts of the White Rose city, was as widely known as North York’s White Oak Park ("the Oaks"), Harrisburg's Raven club or any other youth-oriented venue in central Pennsylvania. The Dell attracted crowds from all over the region. It brought together under one roof kids from middle class families and kids from working class families - city kids, suburban kids, small town kids and farm kids.

The diverse cast of characters that constituted the Shady Dell family was a potentially volatile mix. Each of us had to find a way to fit in and get along (or risk being voted off the island). In the end, in spite of our differences, most of us learned to dance together without stepping on each other’s toes.

Shady Dell regulars were nicknamed Dell rats and we had at least two things in common: a love of the music that played on the Dell’s jukebox and a genuine respect for John and Helen Ettline who graciously made their home our home.

GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS

The Dell was a unique, magical coming of age experience - a proving ground - a secluded hideaway where adolescents could develop social skills, learn to handle responsibility and test the waters of adulthood free from the hassles of ubiquitous adult micromanagement.

SHOCKING TRUE CONFESSION: I WAS A TEENAGE DELL RAT! by Shady Del Knight

I became a Dell rat in 1965 at the age of fifteen. Disparaging rumors about the place had been circulating for years. If you were to believe the gossip the Dell was a snake pit where bad boys and bad girls went to do bad things. Some people, including my mother, referred to the Dell as a “den of iniquity.” Intrigued by the horror stories, I was determined to get there and see for myself what all the fuss was about.

In preparation for my grand entrance, I subjected myself to weeks of rigorous training at a Shady Dell boot camp of my own devise. I grew my hair longer and took up the smoking habit. I practiced in front of a mirror until I was convinced that my stance, walk, and dancing style were all cool.

To complete my extreme makeover, I went shopping for my 'uniform' which consisted of a tapered shirt from the Hub, slacks by H.I.S. and two wardrobe essentials: a pair of blue Jack Purcell sneakers and the all-important Baracuta jacket "Made in England." Wearing my 'Cuta' made me feel so terribly, terribly British, you know. Spot on for us bird watchin' blokes, right gov'na?

'JACKS'

AN ABSOLUTE MUST...FOR DANCIN' ON DELL DUST!

THE CLASSIC NATURAL COLOUR BARACUTA

STRICTLY CONTINENTAL, MATE!

Moment of Truth: Boy Meets Dell

Too young to drive, I made my first Dell visit happen by bumming a ride one night with my college-age cousin and two of his buddies. Clearly, none of the above was thrilled to be babysitting.

As we drove past York Hospital on South George and headed toward Violet Hill, what began as giddy anticipation was turning to apprehension. Fear of the unknown started creeping into my brain. What if the rumors turned out to be true? Would I soon be sharing a needle with a gang of rowdy bikers?

At Violet Hill, we made a dogleg turn to the right and began to climb the narrow, winding, bumpy Starcross Road. By this time my breathing had become labored and I felt queasy. It was as if, on a foolish dare, I had agreed to spend the night with Vincent Price in his House on Haunted Hill. Was it too late to leap from the car and bolt?

"I See the Lights... I See the Party Lights..."

We rounded a bend and I caught my first glimpse of her a short distance up the road. Perched on the hillside was a three-story brick house. Down to the left stood a barn. The festive glow of colored lights rose skyward from an area behind the house. As I would soon learn, the atmospheric illumination originated from strings of lanterns hanging above a patio rigged with remote speakers for outdoor dancing.

As we banked to make our final approach I detected the percussive beat of uptempo music emanating from the barn. We turned left into a gravel parking lot overflowing with vehicles. Here, in all of her rustic splendor, stood the infamous Shady Dell, my destination for the evening and my obsession for years to come!

I Found My Thrill on Violet Hill

My heart was thumping as we climbed the steps that led to the entrance and approached the admission booth. Following my cousin’s lead, I slid a quarter through the window and looked up to see a balding, bespectacled old man grinning back at me. Old? John Ettline would have been 59 at the time. I'm older than that now. Yikes!

“Good evening, gentlemen!” John delivered his cheerful salutation in a booming baritone. Immediately, my anxiety vanished. John’s warm welcome made me feel right at home. It made me feel like I belonged. I didn’t get it at the time but later came to realize that John’s presupposition that we were "gentlemen" was a clever and tactful way of admonishing us to behave accordingly.

Toto, I've a Feeling We're Not in Kansas Anymore!

From the moment I entered the compound I was hooked. The Shady Dell was a private playground for teenagers - a candy land - a fun factory - a safe haven where kids could congregate and blow off steam without having to worry about parents and teachers giving them the evil eye. Instantly I became intoxicated - not by alcohol - but by a sense of total freedom. The place gave off a vibe that was completely new to me – an exhilarating blend of romance, adventure and danger!

Instead of placing a ton of restrictions on their young patrons, John and Helen granted them the independence they craved. The Ettlines were willing to take a step back and trust our judgment. It was okay for us to party as long as things didn’t get out of hand. Most of us eagerly embraced that arrangement. If and when we screwed up, the Ettlines gave us another chance. John and Helen cut you plenty of slack, but if you disrespected them or trashed their establishment both were capable of unleashing a fiery temper.

Of Rats and Men

Contrary to popular belief, the Dell did not harbor gangs of juvenile delinquents eager to conceal their wicked deeds from law enforcement. Sorry, Mom - there weren’t any guns, switchblades or brass knuckles - no gangs, career criminals or prostitutes - just a bunch of ordinary teenagers who loved to meet, mix and mingle, dance and have fun.

Fights were few and far between. There was tacit agreement that it was our duty to preserve and protect the unique setting that the Ettlines had created for us. It required us to police ourselves to prevent incidents that would generate negative publicity or hassles with the law. Scuffles were settled quickly, often through John’s bold intervention. The first lesson a guy learned at the Dell was as follows. Don’t let the gray hair fool you. Nobody messes with John. He’s the boss!

A Special Welcome to All Incoming Freshmen!

I was punched in the face three times during my first year of matriculation on the campus of the Shady Dell School of Hard Knocks. Apparently a few of the guys were determined to teach me a lesson. Yet, getting socked in the kisser did not dampen my enthusiasm or scare me away from the place. In fact they had the opposite effect. They whet my appetite for more! As a Dell newbie desperate to break free of mom’s apron strings and earn respect and acceptance, I wasn’t about to let a bloody nose deter me. For the first time in my life I felt like a man instead of a boy and I loved it. Like Secret Agent Man I was living a life of danger. I was addicted to the rush!

Determined to create an image that would allow me to blend in, appeal to the ladies and avoid becoming a frequent target of the tribe's dominant males, I did a lot of posing, posturing and pretending. I decided that it would be advantageous for me to look tough even though I wasn't. Whenever I strolled into the dance hall, I made sure that my hair was messed up, my shirt tail was hanging out, a lit cigarette was dangling from my lips and my game face was on.

One afternoon before anybody else arrived, my best friend and I rolled around on the dance floor of the barn so that we could properly break-in our new Baracuta jackets by getting them coated with Dell dust. This drove my mother crazy. She kept asking me how I got my jacket so badly soiled. She was even more perplexed when I forbade her to get it cleaned. How could I explain to her that I didn’t want to risk weakening my status with the other guys by wearing a clean jacket?

In my mom’s day the ideal guy wore a white sport coat and a pink carnation. His hair was neatly cropped, oiled down and slicked back off his forehead. That look would have spelled social suicide at the Dell in the mid 60s. My goal was to look like I had just been in a fight at reform school, and if I got my uniform dirty or bloodied in combat, it was a GOOD thing.

Helen & John Ettline

Shady Dell Owners

Helen and John: Not Your Typical Mom and Pop

Even by mid 60s standards, John Ettline seemed part of a vanishing breed of men. John never called me by my first name. He always chose to address me as “Mr. Knight." John maintained that friendly formality through all the years I knew him. I’m very glad he did. John always made me feel important when he added the title “Mr.” to my name. Making insecure teenagers feel good about themselves was John’s greatest gift. He always treated young people with dignity and respect and that made them want to return it.

Along with his outstanding people skills, John possessed a photographic memory. He could always match a face with a name. He seemed to know a lot about anything or anybody that you happened to be discussing. John Ettline had a million stories to tell - all of them interesting.

Although old enough to be our grandparents, there was no generation gap between the Ettlines and their teenage guests. They seemed to remember better than other grown-ups what it was like to be young. John and Helen stayed in touch and in tune with the youth culture. Never was that more in evidence than one day at the York Fair in September, 1968. I was sitting in the grandstand awaiting the start of the James Brown concert. I turned around to search the crowd for familiar faces and there, a few rows behind me, sat Helen and John. In a year when racial tension was running high in York and elsewhere, it was remarkable to see a white couple in their 60s at a James Brown concert, chanting along with the rest of us, “Say It Loud: I’m Black and I’m Proud!”

John and Helen were cool. Young people felt at ease talking with them. Unlike many adults, John and Helen listened to us. They cared without preaching or judging. The Ettlines treated their teen visitors like extended family. They believed in the potential of every young person, including troubled youth from broken homes. They spoke to us about the value of an education and honest hard work. They sponsored athletic programs and honored America’s armed forces. They shaped young lives by instilling a sense of pride and self esteem. John and Helen went out of their way to make all of their kids feel like somebody - even those whose families were telling them they were nobody.

The Dell Jukebox: ALL KILLER AND NO FILLER!

Upon arriving on the Dell scene I soon realized that the jukebox in the dance hall was loaded with the greatest, most danceable records to be found anywhere. There were quite a few songs that I had never heard before and would never hear anywhere else. The music mix that played nightly at the Dell was consistently better than what I was hearing on the radio. In the mid 60s the Dell's musical menu was an exciting blend of Motown, Chi-town, New York and Philly soul, Memphis, southern R&B, blue-eyed soul, Brit beat, sunshine pop, garage, psych and folk-rock plus a few do-wop favorites held over from the 50s.

Shady Dell regulars, the gang I now refer to as the Rodentia Intelligentsia, prided themselves on having radar for cool. Year in and year out they discovered and popularized songs that radio stations across the country overlooked. Records that lingered near the bottom of the national chart often became cherished classics at the Dell. Forgotten flips were elevated to mega-hit status by Dell rats unfettered by the limitations of radio play lists.

Certain songs resonated with the Dell crowd to such an extent that they stayed on the jukebox for years. The best example of this phenomenon is the record ranked #1 on my survey of the 200 Greatest Hits Of The Shady Dell. It remained one of the most popular jukebox selections a dozen years after its initial release in the 50s. That very special song, the greatest and longest lasting Shady Dell hit of all time, was "Close Your Eyes" by the Five Keys.

THE FIVE KEYS

"Close Your Eyes" Ranked #1

Del-Chords & Magnificent Men

Another mighty evergreen at the Shady Dell was "Everybody’s Gotta Lose Someday," an intense, power-packed r&b/soul ballad by the Del-Chords, a racially mixed group from York. Released in 1964, the record was still being played heavily two years later, jamming the floor with slow dancers several times a night. Dave Bupp and Buddy King, lead vocalists from the Del-Chords, eventually merged with band members of Harrisburg’s Endells to form a blue-eyed soul group called the Magnificent Men. The “Mag Men,” as we called them, were white guys who had a passion for black music and the vocal talent and musicianship to authentically perform it. Their inspiring ballad "Peace of Mind" was the first in an impressive string of Dell hits for our hometown heroes.

Magnificent Men

HEAVY HITTERS AT THE DELL!

The Emperors of Harrisburg

Records by the Emperors, another home-grown act, were also enormously popular with Dell dancers. A black group from the state capital, the Emperors were exponents of the “Harrisburg sound,” a blend of r&b, soul, garage and Latin influences. "Karate," the Emperors’ best known recording, was the first of eight raw, funky, organ-driven numbers to achieve hit status at the Dell in 1966 and 1967.

THE EMPERORS

DELL ROYALTY - THEY RULED!

End of an Era

Once addicted to the Dell, I pretty much lived there until the fall of 1967 when I left York to attend an institution of higher learning. Over the next four years I visited my Dell family whenever possible during holidays, spring breaks, and summer vacations. My stint as a Dell rat officially ended in 1971 when I found a job in another city and moved away from York for good.

My final visit to the Dell came in March of 1984 when my career took me out of state. My last piece of business before leaving was to drop in at the Dell and say a final goodbye. I entered the house to find John sitting on a stool at the lunch counter reading the newspaper. “Well, hello stranger!” John bellowed, rising to his feet and extending his hand. “Long time no see, Mr. Knight!" After shaking hands with John and exchanging a few pleasantries, I inquired about Helen. I was stunned to learn that she had passed away a few weeks earlier. I never got the news! John and I stood alone in Helen’s snack bar, reminiscing about the good old days and lamenting how much things had changed since the Dell’s golden era.

After a brief chat with John I excused myself and walked down the sidewalk to check out the barn. The old dance hall was dimly lit and nearly vacant. The only customers were two boys with shoulder length hair standing by the jukebox with a couple of girls. No music was playing. The place was dead or, more accurately, in the final lonely stages of life. If it had been twenty years earlier, the joint would have been jumpin’. The four young people eyed me suspiciously. Is this guy a narc? I put myself in their combat boots and realized that the sight of a stranger in his mid thirties was probably making this new generation of Dell rats uncomfortable. I promptly exited the barn and returned to the house to bid farewell to John.

That night marked the last time I ever saw John or entered the Shady Dell. I made one final pilgrimage in 1988 when I returned to Pennsylvania to visit my parents. I drove up to the Dell one afternoon with every intention of going inside. I’m sure I would have encountered a smiling John Ettline and that he would have immediately remembered my name. Yet, I never got out of the car. I chose not to enter because I didn’t want to further contaminate my memories by seeing how much older John looked and how much more dilapidated the Dell had become. All I could do was sit there in the parking lot gazing at the barn, the house, the bench and the steps to the admission booth where the whole journey started. My mind flooded with a thousand memories of the people, the place, and the time of my life.

John Ettline closed the Dell in the fall of 1991. He died at the beginning of 1993. John’s family auctioned off the restaurant equipment, signage and other Dell paraphernalia in the spring of that year.

(Mike Argento's 1993 article in the York Daily Record was used as a reference source for portions of this cover story.)

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